Section 15-11-21. (Effective until January 1, 2014) Associate juvenile court judges; appointment and compensation; qualifications; conduct of hearings

   (a) The judge may appoint one or more persons to serve as an associate juvenile court judge in juvenile matters on a full-time or part-time basis. The associate juvenile court judge shall serve at the pleasure of the judge, and his or her salary shall be fixed by the judge with the approval of the governing authority or governing authorities of the county or counties for which the associate juvenile court judge is appointed. The salary of each associate juvenile court judge shall be paid from county funds.

(b) Each associate juvenile court judge shall have the same qualifications as required for a judge of the juvenile court as provided in subsection (e) of Code Section 15-11-18; provided, however, that any person serving as an associate juvenile court judge on July 1, 2007, shall be qualified for appointment thereafter to serve as an associate juvenile court judge.

(c) In any case or class of cases involving alleged delinquent, unruly, or deprived children, the judge shall determine whether such case shall be conducted by the judge or by the associate juvenile court judge in the manner provided by this article.

(d) Upon the conclusion of a hearing before an associate juvenile court judge, the associate juvenile court judge shall sign and file an order of the court which sets forth the decision made by the associate juvenile court judge. A copy of the order shall be given to the parties to the proceedings.

Ga. L. 1915, p. 35, § 29; Code 1933, § 24-2429; Ga. L. 1950, p. 367, § 6; Ga. L. 1951, p. 291, § 5; Code 1933, § 24A-701, enacted by Ga. L. 1971, p. 709, § 1; Code 1981, § 15-11-10; Ga. L. 1982, p. 2199, § 2; Ga. L. 1986, p. 1017, § 1; Ga. L. 1990, p. 1691, § 4; Ga. L. 1991, p. 627, § 2; Ga. L. 1994, p. 562, § 1; Ga. L. 1998, p. 653, § 5; Code 1981, § 15-11-21, as redesignated by Ga. L. 2000, p. 20, § 1; Ga. L. 2007, p. 423, § 1/HB 168; Ga. L. 2007, p. 590, § 1/HB 153; Ga. L. 2008, p. 324, § 15/SB 455; Ga. L. 2013, p. 122, § 1-1/HB 182.